The Launnie Magazine February/March 2021

THE LAUNNIE MAGAZINE / MARCH 2021: ISSUE 1

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INDEPENDENT + LOCAL

SAM ELSOM HOW A TASSIE SEAWEED STARTUP IS FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE

EXPLORE MARIA ISLAND IN A DAY LAUNCESTON LOCAL NEWS QUEENS OF THE BALL: HOW TASSIE IS PIONEERING LGBTQI+ RIGHTS WWW.THELAUNNIE.COM.AU

RICHIE PORTE “THE PROFESSOR” RETURNS TO TASSIE A WINNER

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WELCOME TO

Editorial Stephanie Williams (Publisher) editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Zilla Gordon Advertising James Marten 0405 424 449 Contributors: Zoe Lovell, Bonnie May Liston, Annia Baron, John Stephenson Cover main image: Nick Green Cover inset image: Marcus Enno Back cover image: Jarrad Seng Publisher Information: While all care has been taken, some information may have changed since publication. The Launnie Magazine regrets it can’t accept liabilities from errors or omissions contained in this magazine.

The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or amend all advertisements without explanation. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in articles and advertisements are not endorsed by the editor or publishers. We welcome any questions or feedback, email steph@propellermedia.com.au.

THE LAUNNIE MAGAZINE Our first edition of The Launnie is here. After sharing The Hobart Magazine with the southerners for almost three years, we’ve heard from our Launnie readers that it was about time we put together a northern version just for you. So here it is!

Sam Elsom is doing awesome things on the East Coast right now, growing seaweed to capture carbon and reduce emissions once it’s fed to Tassie cows. Last year when we spoke to Richie Porte for The Hobart Magazine, he was gearing up for another Tour de France.

Now he has enjoyed a summer back in Launceston as a podium finisher with an extra kid along for the ride! Stay ChatTY founder Mitch McPherson, who in January commemorated the eighth anniversary of his brother’s death, is the first guest for our new podcast. You can download it via your favourite podcast providore.

So settle in and start 2021 with some great local stories. And don’t hesitate to email us at editor@thelaunnie.com.au, we’d love to hear what you’d like to see more of.

All the best Steph, James and The Launnie Magazine team.

Fish and chips in St Helens.

Photo: Stu Gibson, Tourism Tasmania.

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LOCAL LADY

Naomi Wilson Interview: Zilla Gordon Image: Supplied Powerlifter Naomi smashed powerlifting records last year, and while she’s busily training to crush her new goals, she wants women to get outside their comfort zone and lift heavy too.

Where in Launceston do you live? Newstead.

What’s the best thing about Launceston? I think Launceston is a beautiful city with a lot of amazing sites and places to go.

And the worst? It’s so small. Haha.

Tell us a little about your work? I am a medical receptionist and I’m also a powerlifter. My partner is a coach who runs a company called Competitive Edge Training & Nutrition, and he specialises in nutrition and strength training. He suggested that I try it - I’ve always wanted to - then I ended up really enjoying it.

You recently set World Raw Powerlifting Federation records.

What was involved in the lead up to these achievements?

A lot of consistent training and dedication. A prep is normally about 16 weeks, with set rest periods etc. Each week is programmed specifically to me, and I trusted that and the process and it got me to where I am now.

Going into a gym to lift weights can be an intimidating experience, especially for women, was there a time when you felt apprehensive about powerlifting? At first I was nervous. I had previously competed in ICN Bikini competitions, so it’s a whole different ball game! I was a little unsure, but it was a great decision.

What are some misconceptions about powerlifting? That it makes women ‘bulky’ is definitely the most common misconception. It definitely does not! You build more muscle, more muscle means you burn more fat, which means you get leaner! I would love to see more females coming out of their comfort zone and getting into this sport. It’s a sport where everyone encourages one another, rather than working against each other.

Naomi in the gym.

favourite female in the fitness industry. I’m also inspired by my partner, Jamie, he’s the hardest working person I know. He also holds records in powerlifting too, so we motivate each other.

What do you love doing when you’re not in the gym? I love spending time with my partner, friends and family. I love getting outdoors and having fun with people that are close to me.

Where’s your favourite Launceston eatery? Rupert & Hound or Cataract on Paterson.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? I don’t really have a favourite. I do like a basic gin and tonic, or an espresso martini - Mud Bar would be my go to.

Guilty pleasure? Smashed avo with halloumi.

Favourite team? Collingwood.

What do you never leave home without? Lip balm.

I’d like to travel to... America.

Are there any challenges that come with powerlifting? It’s hard work, you have to be consistent, and push yourself. I think having a good environment and team to train with makes a world of difference especially when it comes to lifting weights you don’t think you can do.

What’s your dream project to work on? Eventually become qualified in nutrition and be able to coach clients for nutrition.

I’m inspired by... I would have to say Lauren Simpson, she’s my

If I didn’t live in Launceston I’d live... Queensland.

When there’s nothing to do, I... sit on my phone or watch Netflix.

Where to next? To beat my own records!

Quote to live by? ‘Great things never come from comfort zones.’

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LOCAL LAD

BERT SPINKS Interview: Bonnie Mary Liston Image: Supplied Known as Storyteller Spinks, Bert lives an interesting life from an unusual homebase.

Where in Launceston do you live? For the last few years I have been living in Meander, about 45 minutes west of Launnie.

We hear you live in a train? The train carriage shack that I’m living in is the perfect space for me. It’s small and very simple, in a nice patch of forest with good access to bushwalking tracks.

I’ve never been more productive in my life!

What’s the best thing about Launceston? It’s at the confluence of three rivers, which is pretty special, and creates an interesting ecological and social context. I’m especially fond of the Cataract Gorge, in the lower reaches of the South Esk River. I reckon there aren’t many places in the world with such a wonderful place to play.

Bert ready to lay down some words.

Where’s your favourite Launceston eatery? I eat out in Launnie very rarely, but I’d like someone to take me to Pachinko.

And the worst? Its flag.

Tell us a little about your work? I write and tell stories. I’m interested in a pretty broad range of ideas and styles, so it’s often difficult to explain exactly what that all looks like. Sometimes it’s essays on the environment, sometimes articles about beer, and sometimes it’s comedy. But my podcast probably has the best synthesis of my various interests. It’s called ‘In a Train Carriage, Going Nowhere.’

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? I drink a fair amount of beer. Tandy’s Alehouse tends to get much of my patronage when I’m in Launnie.

Guilty pleasure? Nostalgia.

Favourite team? Geelong Cats in the AFL. What do you never leave home without? A notepad and a pen.

What drew you to poetry? I think I probably wanted to be a musician. But I had no confidence with music, and some ability with words, so I stuck to lyrics and slowly turned them into poetry.

When did you discover it? What’s the first poem you can remember striking a chord in you? It was very gradual, throughout all my years of young adulthood. Again, it was probably the words of songwriters that originally struck me. The first published poet was Gerard Manley Hopkins.

What’s your dream project to work on? I’d like to produce a podcast about rembetiko music – a folk tradition in the Greek language.

I’m inspired by… Movement.

What do you love doing outside work? Dancing and bushwalking. Although to be honest, the scope of what I consider work is so broad that I can sometimes count these as part of work too.

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I’d like to travel to… Right now if I were to be able to go wherever I felt like, I’d head to Uzbekistan.

Favourite place I have travelled to…. “I could return to wherever I wanted, it would be the island of Ikaria.

If I didn’t live in Launceston I’d live… Meander is really the ideal place for me right now. I can also imagine a stint in Penguin or Queenstown. And maybe someday a year in Athens, or thereabouts.

When there’s nothing to do, I . . . I will fill in every moment of every day with reading.

Favourite Launceston secret? The true story of the ‘Pineapple of Love’ sculpted into the top of the Prince’s Square fountain.

Quote to live by? “One of the last great realizations is that life will not be what you dreamed.” - James Salter, Light Years.

A very glamorous looking Lonnie.

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR LONNIE THE TRAIN Interview: Zilla Gordon For more than 60 years there’s been a constant presence around one of Launceston’s parks.

Lonnie, also known as The City Park Train, has been chugging along since January 1960 and has become a crowd favourite with tourists and locals.

Leaving sprawling Sydney behind for picturesque Launceston, Quin Partis took over the running of the train in 1995 when the previous owners were retiring, and being self-employed, Quin believed he’d have the time and dedication to keep it running.

When he’d told his family about the decision, his children thought it was just the ticket. “They thought it was great - ‘free rides forever’ the kids said,” Quin said. Having run the train for around 20 years, Quin said it was now his grandchildren’s turn for a ride on Lonnie.

While Quin said he’s always enjoying operating the train, there have been some highlights over the years. “We do get the odd bride and groom who like to have a ride around on their special day,” Quin said. Amanda was one of those brides who included

Pictures: Jessie Hunniford a trip to the train on her wedding day. She said her husband, Tim, always loved visiting City Park and felt Lonnie was a bit of a local icon. “Our wedding photos were taken… before the ceremony, so it was a really fun and relaxed time,” Amanda said.

“Having a ride on the train captured the fun we were having in the park.”

The City Park Train has been a must-do for celebrities too.

Singer-songwriter Jon English, who was in town for Jesus Christ Superstar, was all aboard, visiting the attraction in 2012.

Formula One driver Mark Webber has even put Lonnie through his paces. “He sat in the seat, but we wouldn’t let him drive it,” Quin said. “We’re only allowed to go at a walking pace.”

The trip, which takes eight to 10 minutes, follows a route around the park relatively unchanged since the 60s; and the price was also unchanged - the ticket price of $2.50-a-ride was set back more than ten years ago. Despite its star-studded visitors’ list and iconic history, Quin said the best thing about running the City Park Train was meeting people. “There’s no rush and it’s a chance to just have a chat,” he said.

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BITS AND PIECES

Jen Ives is the first recipient at the Pfizer Hub.

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES TASSIE, THE COVID JAB IS HERE The Covid-19 vaccination program extends across the state this month.

Minister for Health Sarah Courtney said while the vaccine will not be the silver bullet, it will be our strongest shield to keeping our community and loved ones safe.

The first phase of the vaccination program targets people who are at heightened risk of getting COVID or getting very sick from it such as quarantine and border staff, and specific groups of front-line healthcare workers. Aged and disability care residents and staff will also be vaccinated in the coming weeks through the Commonwealth Government vaccination program.

The first phase of the vaccination program, Phase 1A, expects to see both doses of the vaccine in April. Once the early phases of the rollout are completed, the vaccination program will be expanded to include other groups of the community, as per the Commonwealth’s guidelines, Sarah said.

You can check which phase you might be in via www.covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility.

UPGRADES TO COUNTRY 6

POLICE SERVICES Construction of a $5 million police station in Longford has begun with the development flagged as a major infrastructure project for the Northern Midlands. Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Mark Shelton said the site also has the potential for future expansion to include other emergency service organisations if required.

“Remote and country area policing are a vital service for our regional communities, and this new location will provide a new station that has the space and security requirements to respond to the region’s needs,” Mark said. The Government has also allocated $7 million for the refurbishment of the Launceston Police Station.

SUSTAINABLE TIMBER TASMANIA DECLARES ULTRAMARATHON OUT OF BOUNDS The takayna Trail ultramarathon is at risk of being cancelled after Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) refused runners’ access on a track near Waratah.

In a communication released by the Bob Brown Foundation, STT said it did not provide land manager’s consent “for this event to occur on permanent timber production zone land”. The 51-kilometre ultra marathon, slated to be held on 21 March, is in its third year. “takayna Trail has become a world-renowned event.

Runners from all round Australia, and across the globe, travel to Tasmania to run through some of the most beautiful landscape on the planet,” Bob Brown Foundation event manager Jo Edwards said. “If it genuinely supports the concept of ‘multiple-use forests’ that it so often publicly promotes, Sustainable Timber Tasmania should grant permission for this sporting event to take place on public land, as required by the law.

THUMBS UP 544 adult Orange-bellied Parrots are in a captive breeding program, helping boost dwindling numbers.

Good luck to Netball Tasmania in their bid for a Super Netball licence.

Luxury car brand Jaguar plans to go fully electric by 2025.

One child a month is seriously injured after swallowing or inserting a button battery, so it’s welcome news that the Federal government has introduced new mandatory safety and information standards to secure the batteries. In the meantime, check to see if you have any loose battery compartments lying around the house.

THUMBS DOWN Tasmania overtakes Queensland as the state with the highest unemployment rate (8.2%) making us secretive, bad at driving and jobles :( Koalas. Are we really going to let them become extinct? WWF Australia shared recently that Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate of any country in the world, and the catastrophic bushfires of 2019-20 impacted nearly three billion animals.

Snoozin’ for a bruisin’

BITS AND PIECES REDLINE CEASES IN DEVONPORT The North West community is adapting to reduced transport options with the Devonport Transit Centre closing and Redline busses no longer running in the region at the end of last year. Labor Members for Braddon Anita Dow and Shane Broad said this represents the most appalling treatment of Redline Coaches and of the population of North West Tasmania, which relies so heavily on Redline’s coach services between Devonport, Launceston and Hobart. “Removal of the last remaining undercover customer service centre in the North West region has real-life implications for thousands of travellers and this decision must be reversed,” Dr Board said.

URGENT CARE CENTRES PROGRESSING Consultation is underway with local health services and stakeholders as part of the Urgent Care Centre feasibility study by the Department of Health. The study was commissioned to consider how feasible it is to establish Urgent Care Centres in the greater Hobart and Launceston areas, to help take pressure off emergency departments. A spokesperson for Health Minister Sarah Courtney shared: “Consultation has been underway – stakeholders were contacted, and has been wrapped

into the Our Healthcare Future, to ensure it’s part of a broader look.”

INTERNATIONAL ART VISITORS A traditional buffalo robe and a possum skin coat are the centrepieces of a new exhibition celebrating First Nations culture.

Ten artists from Australia and Canada collaborated for Wrapped in Culture, showing now at Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibition - which features the cloaks made by the artists, as well as photographs of the collaborators wearing them - premiered in 2019 in Canada at the Ottawa Art Gallery and this is the first time it’s been seen in Australia. Maree Clarke, a Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/ Boonwurrung woman, was among the artists involved in the project and said it enabled participants to reconnect with their culture. “The cloaks are sacred objects that conveyed history, stories and culture,” she said. Wrapped in Culture is showing at the gallery in Royal Park until July this year.

REUNITED, AND IT FEELS SO GOOD...

AFTER THREE YEARS! When Georgie, a red-tailed black cockatoo, went missing near Margate in February 2018 her owner Hannah thought she was never going to see her again. But last

month, she got a surprise phone call from saying they believed they’d found her bird - more than 200km from where she’d last seen Georgie. On the night Georgie disappeared, Hannah said she heard the garage door opening. “I ran downstairs and my Alexandrine parrot had pressed the garage door button with her beak and the sound of the door scared Georgie and she took off,” Hannah said.The bird was handed in to a Deloraine vet, but looked after by the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary at Mole Creek. After rushing to find Georgie’s microchip details, the bird was confirmed to be Hannah’s. Hannah made the three-hour drive to be reunited with her bird. “She was so scared and frail. She had injuries and was terrified,” Hannah said. This is not the first time Georgie has surprised her owner. “I always called her George, until I started noticing, as she was maturing, she had more dots in her feathers… and her beak was lighting up which are all classic signs of a female,” she said. “I had my suspicions.” And now George is Georgie. Georgie is now happy in her favourite spot at home eating her favourite food - peanut shells. “It’s a happy ending,” Hannah said. “I guess the lesson to be taught is parrots are smarter than you think! And you should always keep all your details up to date!”

LITTLE PENGUINS The future of Tasmania’s Little Penguin population will be safeguarded with a citizen science-based toolkit launched in January. The toolkit will help land managers and community groups monitor the state’s penguin population and threats to their colonies. It’s hoped data collected by citizen scientists will help the government improve its understanding of Little Penguin populations and distributions around the state. You can get involved and download the toolkit via their website: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/toolkit.

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BITS AND PIECES

University of Tasmania disease ecologist Dr Rodrigo Hamede prepares to release a devil into bushland in North-West Tasmania (Photo credit: Eddie Safarik)

DEBUT COLLECTION ON THE NATIONAL STAGE FOR BLISS For fashion designer Victoria Bliss, the opportunity to recently dress Australian of the Year Grace Tame came from a place of respect and emotion. Her new debut collection gives a nod to her Hobart childhood and her current hometown, Melbourne.

How did the opportunity to dress Grace Tame come about? I’ve been following Grace’s journey for a while now, from the start of the #LetHerSpeak cam-

RESEARCHERS FIND TASSIE DEVILS NOW OUTSMARTING FACIAL CANCER While Tasmanian devils have long been plagued by a transmissible cancer, new research has shown the disease is not likely to lead to the animals’ demise. UTAS has been researching the devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) for the past 20 years and recently discovered the disease spread is slowing to the point that each infected devil is infecting only one additional animal or less. Professor Meena Jones, who established a research program in 2004, said the last few years of research indicates that the devil is evolving resistance to the disease. “We now have strong evidence that the epidemic phase is coming to an end, and that DFTD is becoming an endemic disease,” Meena said. “That means the devil will live with it as part of its normal life without this disease spelling the end.” Since it was first identified in 1996, Tasmanian DFTD has reduced populations of the iconic marsupial by 80 per cent. The study findings are promising for the devil and also for the Tasmanian ecosystem. “The decline and low populations of devils have led to a rise in populations of invasive predators like feral cats and black rats, which prey on native animals and are causing populations of bandicoots and small mammals like Antechinus and native rats to disappear at an alarming rate,” Meena said. “Recovery of the devil will reverse these trends and once again make Tasmania an island ark for mammal conservation in Australia.” paign. I found myself rereading some of her posts over and over again, filled with such strong emotion and praise for such a remarkable woman. I privately messaged her to say what an incredible voice she had and how grateful I was to hear it. It wasn’t until I was designing my debut collection that I found myself looking to Grace as a creative muse. She is exactly the kind of woman I see in my clothing, she is strong, capable, inspirational. I told her how powerful her influence had been on me and I offered to dress her if she ever had any events she needed clothing for. She then told me about the Canberra trip and how she had multiple events to go to - 22!

How did you select the outfit she wore? I did a collection showing for Grace of racked up samples so she could see and feel the fabrics. I had styled two dresses together which she really loved, it was really humbling. Due to the tight turn around, I sewed it myself - I’m not the most patient sewer! So there were a few mistakes and a very tight deadline but luckily Grace was travelling to Canberra via Melbourne and I went out to the airport to hand over the pieces in person!

How has Tasmania figured into your new collection? I designed my new collection from Tasmania when I flew home

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during the second Melbourne lockdown.

If you look closely at the hand painted print, it features a Tassie Bluegum. I wandered around my parent’s property scouting natives. Growing up in Tasmania has had an enormous influence on my practice as a designer. I think it’s really evident in the aesthetic of the pieces or the way I portray them (especially considering the collection was shot down the road from the house I grew up in!). But even when I was studying at university I’d fly back home to shoot in Tasmania. There’s really no place like it and I’m so blessed to be just a plane ride away.

You can find the debut collection at www. victoria-bliss.com

BITS AND PIECES LASCA DRY: WHEN THE MUSE LEAVES

I am one, so I would have to say, letting

Then the muse leaves, and if you haven’t

Interview: Zilla Gordon Image: Kelly Hammond, Kishka Jensen Growing up in Ulverstone, singersongwriter Lasca Dry’s childhood was spent spinning records from the 60s and 70s and dreaming of dance recitals. She created a name for herself as one-half of the folk-rock group The Habits before pursuing a solo career in 2015. Developing a unique flavour of bittersweet melancholy songs, Lasca Dry has released her first solo album, Sweet Sea Surrender, that explores life’s struggles and learning curves.

Drawing inspiration from nature.

go of a few things and keeping my eye on the overall goal; it’s part of the reason I called my album Sweet Sea Surrender.

I had to surrender to the idea of imperfection which then leads to the benefits at the end of the two-and-a-half weeks, I had an album in my hand. Time management and decision making also were part of this.

In a sequin jacket made by Lasca herself.

You mentioned your album was recorded in two-and-a-half weeks, what were some of the challenges and benefits of recording in such a tight timeframe?

Something I have learnt that’s crucial to completing a project is having a timeframe. Too often I have let myself go for as long as I feel and years later I still haven’t completed that goal I set myself.

The challenges that come along with time frames are not good for perfectionists, and

Your videos incorporate a lot of traditionally feminine elements, like the colour pink, dresses and sparkles; what do those things mean to you? Well, basically I am still living inside my younger me. I am drawn to anything that reminds me of my childhood, and almost everything I own has some kind of connection to when I was younger. End-of-year ballet costumes were a highlight of my year, I was definitely one of those kids that wanted to dress like a princess. That’s where my inspiration came from for the video clip Better Than This.

Could you tell us a little about your songwriting process? First I get a sudden urge to write a song, pick up the instrument that’s calling me, play chords until I find the right mood, and then sing a melody over the top. I do this until it feels right, then sing that one melody over and over cause I love it! Ha, that’s basically it.

got everything, that’s when the hard part starts - trying to finish it, giving up and moving on to the next one. The more I write songs the more I learn: squeeze every last drop out and then stop, not before! But I seldom follow my own advice!

How has Covid impacted your work?

Australian musicians recently wrote to the Government to extend JobKeeper, is this something you feel is important to discuss? When Tasmania went into lockdown all of my gigs got cancelled.

Yes, it is important to discuss, because music is a very special industry and can and does help so many people suffering in our world, especially now. What did we all do when Covid hit? Baked bread and played music. We need musicians and if they can’t get work in their industry they will have to look elsewhere. Music is just like any job, you have to spend a lot of time doing it, and if professional musicians can’t afford to pay for their food from a gig, then they will look for other work, meaning time for making, recording etc won’t be there.

What’s next? New music, new music, new music, 2021 second album, more video clips with sparkles and fairy dresses, improving at my craft, venturing slowly out overseas and touring.

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BITS AND PIECES TASSIE POLICE OFFICERS UNDER PRESSURE Police officers are experiencing significant work-place wellbeing issues, according to the Tasmanian Police Association (TPA). TPA president Colin Riley said at the end of December 2020, there were “very concerning indicators” for officers, including six police officers who have attempted to take their own lives and five who had completed suicide in the last four-and-a-half years. “We need to ensure members are not strained to the point of breaking,” Mr Riley said.

At the TPA bi-annual conference held last month, Premier Peter Gutwein announced an additional $1.5 million per year to support the health and wellbeing of police officers. “Funding will commence from April this year and will allow a much greater level of support and faster access to psychological services across Tasmania,” Peter said. Mr Riley said efforts also needed to be made to remove unnecessary stress in the workplace, and when members were on workers compensation, “they need to be shown genuine care in the dealings with them by the apparatus that manages workers compensation. “Not just initiatives to ‘tick boxes’,” he said.

be used without access to the internet. through the app, users can learn more about the Ross Bridge, the Female Factory and Jack - a little Jack Russell terrier locally known as ‘the mayor of Ross’. The app has already been rolled out in Oatlands, New Norfolk, Bothwell, Brighton and Richmond. Users will need an iPhone 8 or later, with an Android version currently in development. It’s hoped that this digital-first approach will bring a fresh wave of tech-savvy visitors to the town.

HISTORIC ROSS DELVES INTO AR Stories from Ross’ early settlement days will now be told with the help of augmented reality and 3D. A free app, Ross Revealed, uses GPS technology to lead users to 29 ‘story stops’ and can

A-LEAGUE TEAM FOR TASSIE? There are fresh calls for Tasmania to establish its own A-League team.

Last month Premier Peter Gutwein said Football Tasmania has backed the move and they’ll work together as they engage the A-League to progress their bid. Independent Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie has given a Tassie soccer team the thumbs up, saying an A-League club would stimulate the state’s economy, boost TV audiences and “establish soccer as the only true national football code”. “Let’s hope all politicians and the Football Federation Australia see the benefits of a Tasmanian team and what it will do for the state and the sport,” Andrew said. But still no word on when we’ll get an AFL team. Picture right: Football Tasmania President Bob Gordon talking A League with the media, via Twitter.

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NO BUTTS: TASSIE CONSIDERS RAISING SMOKING AGE Tasmania may become the first state in Australia to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. Independent MP Ivan Dean first tabled changes to the Public Health Amendment (Prevention of Sales of Smoking Products to Underage Persons) in 2018, however the Government deferred the reading while the UTAS’ Menzies Institute carried out research that identified the prevalence of smoking in Tasmania and examined the attitudes and beliefs of stakeholder groups. It seems research has supported a correlation between raising the age of purchase and smoking prevalence. Dr Kathryn Barnsley from Smoke Free Tasmania said she believes the Bill will be positively received, despite concerns from some small retailers. “Tasmania has led in tobacco reforms before,” she said. “We were the first state to ban smoking in pubs. We initiated getting displays of tobacco products and at retail outlets and banned smoking in cars with children,” Kathryn said.

While other states eventually followed, some were several years behind Tasmania. Kathryn believes Tasmania is the best state to introduce a raise in the smoking age because of strong enforcement on tobacco sales to minor laws. “We’ve got 98 per cent compliance in Tasmania,” she said. Do you think upping the smoking age in Tasmania is a good idea? Let us know via email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au.

PODCAST

LISTEN IN TO MITCH MCPHERSON Interview: Stephanie Williams This January marked eight years since Mitch McPherson lost his brother, Ty, to suicide. Through his grief, he started SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY with one very small but very significant action, a bumper sticker. Mitch is our first guest on The Hobart Magazine Podcast, a new interview series featuring chats with prominent Tasmanians. You can check out our full conversation on the podcast via Apple iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify.

The last time we spoke, you were our cover person in November 2019. So much has happened since then...

Life changed with COVID, obviously, and everything that went down with that. But in the midst of it, we had the greatest blessing and had our daughter Maya in late March, 2020. And life has changed for the better. I’m on edge a little bit more running around after her, but it’s a lot of fun.

How has becoming a father changed you? I’ve worked my ass off to make Stay ChatTY as big an organisation as it can. Before COVID kicked in, I had a lot of interstate gigs and speaking opportunities. And whilst that’s still really important to me, now 4pm comes around and I’m out of there. I love the bond that I have with Maya. That doesn’t come naturally, I don’t think. I had a lot of conversations with people before I became a dad about how you can do your best to connect with your young one.

I know you care deeply about your work so that other families don’t have to go through the same thing. It’s a big question, but one you’ve given me permission to ask. What happened around the time of Ty’s passing? Ty’s birthday is the 4th of January, then 10 days later is always the anniversary.

I find the days like his actual birthday and actual anniversary aren’t the worst days. They’re sad and there’s definitely a bit of a rainy cloud around you over that day. But the lead-up is pretty ordinary. I always think about things I wish I’d done differently eight years ago? Could I have looked a bit harder or seen things a bit differently?

Did you know he was going through a difficult time? No. That’s a big part of our story. When we lost him it was an utter shock.

Ty was a happy-go-lucky guy. He was the last person you would ever imagine going through a hard time. He was about to start a building apprenticeship the very next day. But someone doesn’t have to be down in the dumps. It doesn’t have to be extreme. It can be very, very minor. And that was the case with Ty. It was enough for him to battle and not feel he could come forward and talk about what was going on in his life.

What happened on that day? I got up on the 14th, went to work and had a really cruisy day. I lived with Dad and my Stepmum down in Tranmere and Ty used to live there 50% of the time. He jumped between there and Mum’s place. Dad came up to me shortly after getting home, about 5pm, and said, “Have you heard from Ty?” I’d actually tried to call him on the way home, he hadn’t answered. I went downstairs and all of a sudden my mum started ringing me. I was pretty hungry and thought, “I’m not going to answer.” I threw the phone on the bed. Then it was about 10, 15 seconds after that, I heard my dad upstairs let out a pretty loud scream.

I imagine you know that if you ask what’s going on, that’s when your life changes. Yeah, upon reflection it was like, “Well, as soon as I walk outside my door now, something’s going to happen.”

At the time, did anyone from an organisation, or in an official capacity step in and guide you through the process?

Not really, no. Mum’s work was really good and offered her counselling. At Stay ChatTY, we’ve set up some really important numbers for people to call should they go through it as well, for a school or a work place to know where to turn. For me, we were fortunate that friends and family rallied around us.

If you or anyone you know needs help call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Listen to Steph’s full interview with Mitch via The Hobart Magazine Podcast wherever you get your podcasts from.

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SPORT

The Professor at work, with apprentices looking on.

RICHIE PORTE TOUCHES DOWN A WINNER Interview: Stephanie Williams With a Tour de France podium finish now under his belt, Stephanie Williams caught up with cyclist Richie Porte on his return to Tasmania. On a winning streak, he also recently held his crown as king of Willunga Hill at the Tour Down Under.

How was the aftermath of the Tour de France this time around, being a podium finisher? It was really a strange year with COVID and then also my wife gave birth to our second child, Eloise, at the start of the tour. It was something I always wanted to achieve, to get onto the podium there in Paris but then, in my mind, I wanted to be on the plane and home. And it didn’t look like I was going to get home that night because all the flights are gone.

So how did you end up getting home? Luckily enough my new team of this year, Ineos Grenadiers, had a private jet ready to go.

So they got me home that night. It was just a nice touch to be honest. Just to meet my daughter for the first time. Standing on the podium in the Tour compared to that, it kind of paled.

That’s awesome. How amazing to have that all in 24 hours.

Yeah, exactly. I didn’t really have the chance to celebrate or anything like that. And I was back on the road three and a half days later. So it’s been a whirlwind.

What was the reunion with your wife and your expanded family like? You come out of that race, the bubble, the COVID bubble, and it’s always a weird one to come home. But then it’s kind of nice because you go from being at a race where 12

Pictures: Marcus Enno

everything’s done for you, then back into newborn nappies. It’s a tricky one for me now with a two and a half year old son - when I go away for so long there’s that wall he puts up, because I’m away so much. That was hard to overcome as well. Hotel quarantine isn’t easy and we did it in Perth, but it was actually nice to get that family time without the pressure of training and all that.

So it’s the silver lining isn’t it?

With borders opening and closing all over the place, you’ve probably found the new COVID world trickier than most.

Usually when we fly back from Europe, we go Nice, Dubai, a night in Melbourne then Launnie. But this year we had to do to Paris for a night and then Dubai, Perth for two weeks quarantine, then Melbourne and Launnie. Even getting into Tassie was hard because they didn’t put our COVID tests on our quarantine certificate. It was down to the last second that we didn’t even know if we were going to make it back to Tassie or not.

What was the first thing you did when you got back to Launceston? The first morning I was out training around Scottsdale, which is pretty much where I do all my training in Tassie. I just love it. And it was such a nice feeling to be back on home roads and having achieved a big goal of getting on the podium. If I wasn’t so unfit, it would have been like a ceremonious moment, but I struggled the whole way round! So it wasn’t the most enjoyable Scottsdale Loop I’ve done. I wouldn’t mind getting back down to Hobart and doing the Channel Loop again.

I spent a lot of time in Hobart when I was a bit younger, but I haven’t done it for years. It’s the Scottsdale Loop of the South!

Does competition in Australia look different now too? It’s much more straightforward than Europe. The Tour Down Under normally has people coming from all over Australia and it wasn’t the same this year. It was actually nice to be quite honest. You can go and have a coffee and breakfast and do it in relative peace compared to normal. And I’d say the same for the Tour last year. Without all the journalists that normally come and the huge crowds, it was kind of peaceful.

Do you think that played into your positioning? Yeah, a little bit. There’s just so much stress around the race and every day there’s something that gets blown out of proportion. It was just nice to not have all that noise from outside and just to ride the bike.

Cadel Evens said he sent you a message the night before your final time trial on the Tour and that you actually answered his message. And he said on air that it must have meant you were pretty relaxed about it all. How do you control yourself in the moment to have a performance like that? To be honest, it’s good to get yourself off social media. I haven’t got Twitter, I don’t have Facebook. Instagram is where I’m most accessible, but you can control that a bit more. I like having my phone with WhatsApp’s from people you genuinely want to hear from. Guys like Cadel reaching out, it means a lot to you. I mean, it was my first tour in 2011 when he won. So you do appreciate messages of support from people like that. But I think for me going into the final time trial, which was the second last stage, I was just so motivated. That’s why I moved from Tassie over to Europe to live, to nail that podium. I don’t think there was much that was going to stop me from putting in a good performance on that stage.

anything like that. In some ways it’s a young man’s sport. I think you’re more gung ho when you’re younger. All the crashes catch up with you and you have aches and stuff that you don’t really want to have. We’re getting old, aren’t we?

This year you’ve signed on to a new team, Ineos. Will you have the opportunity to race for a place in this year’s Tour? Or perhaps your role is looking a bit different now you’re a podium finisher? Probably nailed it there! I signed on knowing I wouldn’t have the sole leadership, like I have had in the last five years, but that’s fine with me. I’d already signed, but then I got a podium in the Tour. Maybe it changes things a little bit, but at the end of the day, I think I can turn up at races a hundred percent ready to go, then you just never know what’s going to happen on the road.

And the big question, what next? I don’t really know. Get through the next two years! It’s been a hell of a ride to be honest. To be able to ride a bike for a living has been a dream, but at the same time that I do look forward to having a more normal life. Read the paper and enjoy your breakfast without the stress of having to go and train in the rain or snow in Europe. I’m ready to become a full-time dad.

Does Tassie factor into that? My wife’s English, but I had that discussion of whether we stay in Europe or move to Australia, to somewhere like Adelaide.

But she likes Tassie. It doesn’t make sense to live somewhere like Adelaide and have the family so far away. We may as well stay in Europe and closer to her parents. I appreciate Tassie much more now for what it is. That’s the thing with Tassie, it’s just simple. Everything’s just so easy. I absolutely love it. It’s amazing the amount of people who judge Tassie, but they’ve never actually been here. It actually pisses me off. Yesterday when I was in the supermarket, a couple from Brisbane, they knew who I was and they said ‘Where’s your other head?’ And it’s just like, ‘Where are your front teeth?’ It gets annoying, doesn’t it?

And do you find that some times you’re more nervous than others? Or do you find that you’re fairly calm now? The fact that I don’t get nervous is a little bit worrying to be honest. You stress more when you get older and you have kids, you don’t want to have big crashes or 13

WHAT’S ON IN LAUNCESTON 1

MONDAY

TUESDAY

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THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

Not over the Zumba craze?

Dancercise Launceston is running a class at 3.45pm. Why not put on your best lycra leotard and head to RAOB. G.A.B. Hall (11 Birch Ave, Newstead).

Need an excuse for a Tuesday roadtrip? Kick off today with the Devonport Food and Wine Festival.

They’re celebrating the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, and focusing on farm gates and the North’s best producers.

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Join your sisters in Ulverstone for an International Women’s Day high tea with speaker Karen Mace, principal of Healing Place, to hear her story from heartbreak to healing.

Launceston Mountain Bike Club, Amy Wright

In the mood for a chuckle? Head to the Boags Brewery Bar for Fresh Comedy to see Ivan Aristeguieta (plus support acts). You might have seen him on Have You Been Paying Attention and The Project - now catch him in Launie!

Been to MONA and thought ‘I can paint that?’ Well now you can get those creative juices flowing with Paint the Town Red Parties’ Paint and Sip night. Jump online to book via Facebook.

The only puppet to be a permanent fixture on the international stand-up circuit, Randy will get you ready to laugh with his show The Clubhouse at The Tramsheds Function Centre.

A new UTAS campus is planned at Inveresk.

UTAS Community walks at Inveresk will allow you the chance to learn more about the development and discover the future of the University.

Grab a parmie and get some pub rock in ya with the Choirboys performing their Feels Good show at the Saloon Bar. Jump online for tickets.

The Choirboys

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The Tasmanian Poetry Festival is in swing! Head to Poetry at the Phoenix with bonus open mic opportunities (this is not a haiku!).

Tasmanian Poetry Festival

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Randy

I want to ride my bicycle - the My Ride XC Twilight Races are on again at Trevallyn NRA, Duck Reach Road.

Riders will need to be over eight years old to participate.

Enjoy a cuppa in the gardens of Dame Enid Lyons home, Home Hill in Devonport to continue the International Women’s Day celebrations. Discuss the advancement of women in politics over a fancy morning tea. Booking essential 6464 8055.

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WEDNESDAY

Do you know what’s in your shopping trolley? The ShopSmart program will teach you how to interpret food labels YMCA Launceston 8A Blaydon St, Kings Meadows. It’s free, but you’ll need to register on Eventbrite.

Dreaming of an international holiday? How about taking in a foreign film?

The North West Film Society is showing Icelandic drama A White, White Day at Paranaple Convention Centre in Devonport.

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A special showing of Birth Time: The Documentary is on at the Village Cinemas on Brisbane Street. The doco explores why an increasing number of women are emerging from their births with trauma.

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After their home-run in the Triple J’s Hottest 100, Ball Park Music are on tour and you can catch them at the Basin. Batter up!

Ball Park Music

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For even more events in Launceston and further afield this month head to www.thehobartmagazine.com.au/events

MARCH SATURDAY

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A favourite with locals and visitors, the popular Harvest Launceston Community Farmers are on today.

Grab your green bags and head over for some fresh produce and support the local economy.

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RuPaul’s Drag Race got you gagging for some local drag? Throw on some heels and head to Drag Queen Bingo, as part of North West Pride.

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Did you learn how to play Riptide on the uke? Well, it’s not too late to learn how to play the ukulele with the Launceston Ukulele Jamboree at The Royal Oak Hotel.

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It’s nice, it’s unusual, it’s different! Pick up something unique at the Niche Market Bazaar. 8am 3pm at Albert Hall.

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FURTHER AFIELD

SUNDAY

Marking 17 years of action, Rockpool Music Festival in Bicheno raises funds for Lions. Roll up your picnic rug, pack a hat and catch some of the best of local artists in an afternoon of musical fun.

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Check out the spread at the Word Street Eats market.

Discover authentic flavours and heartwarming food that not only feeds your tummy, but your soul too.

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Take a road trip to the gardens of Hazelbrae for their Graze Dayz grazing picnic event. Tickets include a three-course picnic and live music performances.

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Didn’t get your poetry fix at the festival earlier this month? Live to Air is on at City Park Radio https://www.taspoetryfest.org/

18 February - 30 May Mugshots from criminals of the 1920s will be on display as part of the UNDERWORLD: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties exhibition, on until the end of March at the Port Arthur Historic Site. The images were taken at a golden age that emerged from the ruins of the war. However, lurking under the surface was a world of gangs and guns, vice and violence.

The exhibition is on loan from Sydney Living Museums.

From Sunday 27 February The Rupertswood Farm Crop Maze in Hagley is back for five weekends of hide-and-seek fun.

From the sky, the maze is a leafy green sheep, but back on the ground - you’ll just be looking for the exit. You need to jump online to book!

Rupertswood Maze

From Friday 12 March Key art exhibition Liberty opens at the Tasmanian Museum and Gallery in Hobart showcasing local, interstate and international artists’ interpretation of the challenging notions of agency and representations, surveillance and exile.

Sunday 14 March Don’t even ask if the scallops are Tasmanian! Super local seafood will be served up at the Dover Seafest from 11am - 4pm at Kent Beach. Because of COVID, you’ll need to book a ticket.

Monday 29 March While you can’t jump on a plane and head to Broadway right now, you can travel down to Hobart for some great toe-tappers at the Theatre Royal’s World of Musical event which will bring the best of musical theatre to life. Head to their website to book.

27 - 28 March Fancy a trip back in time? The Hobart Vintage Machinery Society is hosting its biennial Machinery Expo at Summer Hill, Richmond Road, Cambridge. You’ll be able to check out working machines dating back to the 19th century with working demonstrations throughout the day.

Got an event coming up in Tassie?

Harvest Launceston

Email us at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Background photo: Stu Gibson 15

COVER FEATURE

Interview: Stephanie Williams

With an established career in the fashion industry, Sam Elsom didn’t expect a conference call with Tim Flannery climate scientist Tim Flannery to result in a move to aquaculture. Sam is now cultivating a native Tasmanian seaweed to sequester carbon and help reduce methane emissions from Australia’s meat, wool and dairy industries.

How did the Sea Forest project begin? I first learnt about seaweed from Tim Flannery. I met Tim through the Climate Council and mutual friends. He suggested seaweed is a solution to climate change. There is a finite amount of time to act, with seaweed being a known solution. Sea Forest started with a goal to be the first commercial supplier of a special native seaweed called Asparagopsis which through cultivation has the capacity to capture carbon dioxide through feeding a supplement to livestock that eliminates methane emissions. Even though it’s not naturally in my wheelhouse, it’s something I could jump on. I was driven by the impact.

Australia is one of the most abundant places in the world for seaweed. We have more species than anywhere else. And with so much diversity it’s interesting that we don’t have a seaweed agriculture industry, apart from those who have a permit to collect it off the beach. No-one is cultivating it like we are now. We don’t know that much about our native seaweed. There’s 14,000 species of seaweed and 9,000 are red!

How does it work? It’s a two-pronged approach between capturing carbon and eliminating methane which is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally.

Seaweed captures CO2 via photosynthesis and 30% of the biomass we harvest is carbon sequestered from the water. The fastest growing plant on the planet is a seaweed that’s native to Australia. Of all plants in the world! Unlike trees, the entire organism photosynthesises, whereas with trees, it’s just the leaves. We’re harvesting every eight weeks, so we have a great potential positive environmental impact. A very small amount of it is used to feed to animals, which helps eliminates methane.

We’re at 90% on a commercial scale, in the labs they can achieve 98%. The average cow produces four tonnes of carbon per year and if they eat 30 grams of seaweed a day, they effectively eliminate methane. It’s a small amount of seaweed for a big result in emissions reduction.

What have been some of the challenges and highlights?

Building Sea Forest with my co-conspirator Stephen Turner has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences. Every week we are making new and novel discoveries in the world of seaweed, surrounded by remarkably intelligent individuals while pioneering the development of a new environmentally positive industry for Tasmania as well as working with Tasmanian dairy, beef and Merino farmers. We are the first company in Australia to commercially harvest seaweed and we’re the only commercial supplier of Asparagopsis in the world.

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shelter and habitat for marine life as well as de-acidifying the ocean through photosynthesis.

In my research I came across a team from the University of the Sunshine Coast who were growing Asparagopsis in tanks and hoping to head offshore. Have you been part of their trials or independent? Is this seaweed native to Australia or are there other people growing it overseas too? Seaweed is an $11 billion global industry - it is approximately $2 million industry in Australia. This is largely because of the nine - 12 major species commercially cultivated around the world are North Hemisphere epidemic and cannot be grown in Australian waters. Asparagopsis is wildly abundant and can be grown in Tasmania. While research is taking place around the world, we don’t expect marine farming of Asparagopsis anywhere else in the world.

Does the seaweed have the same effect on other animals and humans? I’d like some for my boys if it does… No, seaweed only works on ruminants, unless your boys have four stomachs…

Before Sea Forest you had been working in a creative capacity with some big Aussie brands, including a stint designing for The Upside. Does any of your previous career enter into the work you’re doing now? My time in the rag trade was tremendously rewarding, working with major international brands and with a specific focus not only on design but on sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of the supply chain. Interestingly Sea Forest is now working with Australian high-end fashion brand MJ BALE to create the first carbon-neutral suiting line from wool grown by seaweed-fed Merino sheep.

It’s fantastic to see all industries collaborating towards a more sustainable future.

Why Triabunna and why Tasmania? Seaweed is wildly abundant and less seasonal. Tasmania has a rich diversity in seaweed species - and a natural population of Asparagopsis, but does not have the seasonality of other parts of Australia.

Tasmania’s pristine waters provide the perfect environment to be cultivated all year round. We started in a lab because we needed to understand how to grow it. We’re fortunate to have leased space from Spring Bay Seafoods in Triabunna, who grow mussels. We leased hatchery and lab space and slowly as we’ve learned and developed methods for cultivation expanded our footprint there and have taken over the entire site. And transferring the employment of a lot of the staff here to Sea Forest.

Everybody is really receptive.

And I hear Mick Fanning was an early backer of your project.

Mick is a passionate environmental advocate who was already doing great work through lending his voice and support to climate change as an ambassador for Wild Ark. When I spoke to Mick about Sea Forest he was really excited to get involved.

We’ve got such a great bunch of people in the business.

What effect does growing the seaweed in the ocean have on the surrounding marine environment? Do you need to fertilise it or use chemicals to protect its growth?

Seaweed cultivation is low impact and is referred to as zero-input crop which means it does not require fertiliser or fresh water.

Unlike traditional terrestrial farming, it’s not impacted by fires, floods or droughts. Seaweed requires three basic elements to thrive - seawater, sunlight and CO2. Seaweed forests provide 17

Everything starts with people’s attitude and optimism is a big part of that. The Spring Bay Mill is our neighbour - that was a relic of an industry (wood chipping) that was pillaging Tasmania and then on the other side our neighbour is the old fish meal processing plant. They previously collected massive quantities of Red Mackerel to turn into meal. That’s shut down too. These two industries creating harm - and now we’re in the middle creating a new, more positive industry. We have enough marine lease here in Tasmania to feed half the population of Australia’s feedlot dairy and cattle.

I imagine partnering with meat and dairy producers would be a natural step. Is this something you’re working on? We are proud to be underway with two major trials with the seaweed here in Tasmania. The first with Merino wool farmer Simon Cameron from the Tasmanian Midlands area of Kingston, the second from Fonterra, feeding Richard Gardner’s dairy cattle.

The appetite of farmers to engage with the solution to methane emissions has been overwhelming and a sign that everyone recognises they have a role to play in reducing global emissions.

Is there a way that consumers will know that their products have been produced with lower emissions? Sea Forest is working with the Clean Energy Regulator to allow farmers access to carbon credits from the use of Asparagopsis - which will enable them to make carbon-neutral claims to consumers.

Are you working on any other projects or products? We have built a team comprising of the world’s leading seaweed 18

scientists. They’re pioneering the development of a new and environmentally positive seaweed aquaculture here in Tasmania.

This is not limited to Asparagopsis, we are also looking at the cultivation of a myriad of other species.

Where are you based? At the moment I’m between Sydney and Triabunna.

You have two kids, and your wife Sheree Commerford has a prominent profile. How does the juggle look for you? It’s a great question. It’s true. There’s always a sacrifice that’s required when you’re building something. And that’s true of all families, not just mine. All of our family, including my two kids, are passionate about the environment and climate change, so they’re excited. My kids are as engaged as I am. It’s cool to come home and show them videos and educate them. But I’m around less.

My wife is an incredible creative and she’s also an amazing mother. She’s having to do more as we build Sea Forest and I’m grateful to her for doing that. I think it would be different if I was working as a FIFO in the mines. Maybe she’d feel differently of the worthiness of the sacrifice. She’s got a passion for it, which helps the cause.

When you’re in Tassie, what are some of your favourite things to do? I love food, wine and adventure and Tassie has an abundance of these things. Recently I was mountain biking in St Helens on the Blue Tier Trail with our chief scientific officer Dr Rocky de Nys. We had an amazing ride through the temperate forest. I also really enjoy surfing at Cloudy Bay.

STOPPING AT THE START: LAUNCESTON COUNCIL TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Words: Zilla Gordon

Despite being one of Australia’s oldest cities, Launceston aims to lead the way when it comes to action against family and domestic violence.

Launceston City Council will be the third municipality in Australia to develop a family and domestic violence strategy, after Brisbane City Council and George Town Council, with Brisbane’s plan launching late last year.

Although only in its early stages, the council will be working with peak organisations to better understand what supporting role local government plays, mayor Albert van Zetten said.

“Domestic and family violence is a serious social, health and safety issue in communities right across Australia, including in Launceston,” Albert said. “While many organisations and other tiers of government are already doing important work in this area, there is also room for local government to contribute.”

Alina Thomas from family violence counselling service Engender Equality said local councils’ involvement in the prevention of gendered-violence was welcomed, but “relatively new”. While the Launceston Council said it would be looking to Brisbane to “learn from their experiences”, Alina said there were challenges unique to each of the local government areas (LGAs) in Tasmania.

One of those was the state’s rural population.

Although falling outside of Launceston’s boundaries, people living in towns like Bridport also needed access to these services, she said. “We need to be adequately considering the experience of people who live outside of the cities, Alina said.

“Alongside that rural population, we’ve got that traditional population which means we fall back onto gender stereotypes.

Women are expected to be feminine and men are expected to be masculine, and that’s a known driver of violence.” Alina said Tasmanian gun ownership also needed to be considered. “Access to weapons can also be a risk factor,” she said.

University of New South Wales professor Jan Breckenridge, who is the co-convener of the UNSW Gendered Violence Research Network, said while she believed regional councils across Australia had previously used similar interagency agreements, it was “terrific” to see local services playing a role in ending family and domestic violence. “I can see where people who are

Local services play a role in ending domestic and family violence.

more known to one-and-other, where you know your neighbours and key members of the council, that these strategies could be very effective. It’s more opportunity to talk about family and domestic violence, to raise awareness of the issue,” she said.

Raising awareness of the issue through the use of strategies, like the one planned by the Launceston City Council, is a form of primary prevention of gendered violence. “Primary prevention is looking at the causes or the drivers of violence, and challenges or addressing those [drivers] so that violence isn’t even happening in the first place,” Alina said. “If we only ever respond to violence, we’re never going to see the prevalence of it decrease,” she said.

Secondary or tertiary responses, Alina said, is when an episode of violence is being responded to. “That’s along the lines of believing victims, validating their experiences, and helping them to access services, and holding people who use violence to account,” she said.

Alina said a strategy that included internal policies around family violence was a great starting point. “It gets the company thinking about, what we need to be able to recognise and respond to the presentation, and then some of those new skills and knowledge can transfer into community response,” she said. “There’s a culture change that needs to happen.”

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REAL ESTATE

‘YOU HAVE TO SEE THE VISION’: HOW HERITAGE RENOS ARE ON THE RISE Words: Zilla Gordon Pictures: Richard McLennan, Andrew Walter While 2020 was a write off for most of us, Tasmania’s property market shone through and went from strength to strength.

Housing prices have moved to new record highs in Hobart, and Launceston reported in as the country’s top-performing housing region in 2020, according to data from CoreLogic. Although there are many benefits to a strongly performing property market, buyers might need to make their money stretch a little further.

Could the answer lie in the expression: buying the worst house on the best street?

So how do you navigate the world of DIY, renovations and Tasmania’s many heritage listings? Director of Blue Gum Builders Andrew Walter said buyers are often scared when the word ‘heritage-listed’ was mentioned. “They think about how they’re going to have to deal with the heritage council and worry about the amount of work it’s going to be,” Andrew said. The associated cost is also a thing. But Andrew said cost concerns should be a worry for all buyers. “It’s not specific to heritage-listed property - sometimes people underestimate the cost of renovations,” he said.

A labour of love Andrew has helped clients renovate their historic homes and knows the pros and cons of the process, having restored his former home, a heritage-listed pub in Lewisham. Even as a professional builder, Andrew said he was “a bit hesitant” as it hadn’t been lived in since the 1970s. He knew some of the pub’s history before purchasing the property, but it wasn’t until he started stripping back 200 years of paint from around the doors that he really made some discoveries. “I kept finding all these marks on the door jams - a dot with a circle around it. It was like it was drawn with a compass, but the circle was always broken,” he said. He later found out that the drawings were symbols used to ward off nasty spirits. “There was a murder at the property… a bushranger had killed the landlord,” Andrew said.

Do your due diligence Andrew said buyers wanting to make an offer on an historic property should have a walk-through and make note of “anything that looked a little funny” and pass those notes to a building inspector who had worked in heritage listings for a professional opinion for a second walk through.

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“If it needs work, then get yourself a builder who’ll look at the report,” he said. “It’s worth getting a builder to at least give you a vague idea and what it should cost and maybe get them to visit the house.” Andrew also said to prepare for the unexpected. “As you carry out the work, you’ll probably find more things that need to be looked at.”

Having already stood the test of time, restoring a historic property doesn’t have to be rushed. “You can move in and just live in most heritage houses,” Andrew said. “You don’t have to renovate the house in three months.”

He also suggested looking for a good roof. “It generally won’t deteriorate too badly because they’re all built from well-suited materials. They’ve lasted 200 years, so they’ll be ok. Then just tackle the renovations in a prioritised manner.” But the work was worth it. “You can’t buy character!” Andrew said.

Mid-century modern Real estate agent Yvonne Hawkins from Harcourts Launceston agreed saying it’s “lovely” to be able to keep the character in a property. Her recently-sold listing in Kings Meadows was lived in by the same person from construction until the owner’s death.

The property remains almost unaltered from its construction some half-a-century ago. “The kitchen could have been from the cover of a Woman’s Weekly magazine,” Yvonne said. “As you walked in here, you just felt that vibe.”

Yvonne also suggested acknowledging the amount of work that would be needed for an older home. “There’s a high demand for DIY properties because of television renovation shows.”

Renovating mid-century houses could still involve labour-intensive repairs and it was important not to put “ambition over ability”. “You have to see the vision,” Yvonne said. “Because of the age and originality, it needs to be done right.”

Renovating Real Estate Knight Frank sales agent Rorie M. Auld shared his insight on the current renovators’ market.

How quickly is property moving at the moment? Well-priced property is moving very well at the moment. We’re seeing unprecedented demand for Tasmania due to geopolitical, climatic and pandemic factors. There’s been a seismic shift in the psychological disposition of many buyers, work habits have changed and deeper questions are being asked about what’s important in life, not to be too philosophical!

Are buyers apprehensive to undertake major renovations or are they specifically looking for homes they can make their own? I think some should be. In the age of a plethora of DIY TV shows people can sometimes get a little ahead of their skillset and end

up in hot water, both literally and figuratively! Generally, younger demographics are looking to add value by doing some work themselves. Older buyers are less likely to have the time or inclination because they have done it too many times before. I think I fall into this category yet I don’t learn and keep doing it!

What are the benefits of buying a property that needs a bit of work? It allows you to make it your own, no matter how much or how little you want to do. It creates a connection with the property, which I think is special. And of course, if you do have some skills, why not create some upside.

Any tips for buyers considering a reno property? Know your limits, employing professionals will save you money, heartache and pain!

Andrew renovated this former pub in Lewisham.

The kitchen remains untouched from when this Launceston property was built in the 50s.

When it comes to DIY, know your limits.

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FEATURE

LIFE’S A BALL: HOW TASSIE PIONEERED LGBTQI+ RIGHTS Words and images: Zilla Gordon The sun hasn’t quite set as two long-legged figures stand together up a Salamanca sidestreet. The pair are busy exchanging boisterous introductions and are greeting a rush of guests who enthusiastically walk into Society Bar in Salamanca.

Turning, the twosome flounce inside and prepare to drop the balls for Thursday night bingo. But it’s far from a purple-rinse elderly audience - this is the magical world of gender illusions, throwing shade and lip syncing. This is drag queen bingo.

Giving you life Performing drag for almost eight years, Pussay, a healthcare worker by day, said she first used the art form as a way to channel everything she disliked about herself into her character.

“I hated that I was feminine, I hated being overly camp, I hated being artistic, I hated that I liked makeup,” she said. “I thought, ‘just use it as an avenue to get it out of your system’.”

When she moved to Launceston in 2013, she soon started to perform more regularly but it wasn’t until she settled in Hobart that Pussay was ‘born’. Gravitating towards comedy, Pussay said her character was politically charged, didn’t mind being stupid, but always included the unexpected. “Growing up gay, at a Catholic school, in a small town, you have to learn to be funny to survive,” she said. “That’s where her quick-witted and sharp humour comes from.”

Drag and the gender myth Co-host Ana Thema (who by day, runs a queer-friendly coffee shop) started experimenting with drag around three years ago after borrowing a housemate’s makeup. “I had reservations [that] a drag queen was about being a woman, and I thought ‘I don’t want to dress up as a woman’,” Ana said.

A common misconception is that drag just means looking like a woman. “Drag is about performance,” she said. Pussay agreed, believing drag was loosely based on a gender illusion, rather than a cis-male dressing up as a cis-women (cis-gender means someone’s gender identity matches the biological sex they were assigned at birth). “I mostly do female-based illusion, but what is feminine?” Pussay said. “I see biological women who are like ‘I want to be a drag queen but I can’t because I’m a woman’ and I’m like ‘you can - anyone can’. It’s not tied to a gender.”

The library is open While drag bingo is strictly an over-18 event, Pussay took her PG-friendly character Miss Poppins to the stage when she participated in Drag Story Time in Ulverstone. “I was very nervous Ulverstone, in drag, in the daylight,” she said. But Miss Poppins 22

said the experience was “amazing” and provided her with an opportunity to connect with younger members of the community.

“They were coming up and shaking, saying ‘we’ve never seen a drag queen before,” she said.

Choose your family Ana said there was a sense of family and community among drag performers living in Hobart. “I’ve never felt so included,” she said. “Because we’re so small, we want to keep each other happy and help each other.”

While she felt “parts of” Tasmania were accepting, Ana said could go anywhere in Hobart and feel comfortable. “I remember going to Maccas in drag, and they’re just loving it,” she said.

“They’re like ‘you look awesome, let’s take a photo’. We get a time that we can just be ourselves and really put ourselves out there and let people know that we’ve been here for ages.”

And just what can you expect at drag bingo? Pussay said a night of drag bingo was “fun, funny, fun”. “Ana Thema and I are both very creative in different aspects,” she said. “But I’m funnier,” she joked.

The balls have dropped Inside the bar at Salamanca, the crowd is gagging. Catcalls come from the audience as Ana Thema and Pussay Poppins make their rounds. It’s a place where all are welcome. And where everyone wants to return. Ana said it felt great to be hosting drag bingo so close to where activist Rodney Croome fought for gay rights.

“We’re reclaiming a space that was full of hatred, a place of oppression,” she said. “It’s nice to know that people from all walks of life are just having fun around a queer space.”

Rodney Croome on Tassie’s dark past Drag performers and bingo hosts Ana Thema and Pussay Poppins invite the audience to share snaps from the night on social media.

But not so long ago, events like these would be hidden.

Above: Pussay Poppins Below: Ana Thema, picture: Matt Badenach

LGBTQI+ activist Rodney Croome, who successfully campaigned against Tasmania’s homosexuality laws, said community spaces had been around since at least the 60s. “But in the 60s, 70s and 80s they were quite hidden, and with good reason,” Rodney said. In the 70s, the back bar of The Hadley Hotel was one of these places. “It was [the bar] furthest from the street,” he said. Lawyers would often drink in the front bar, closer to the street. “They were a form of protection in case the police decided to raid,” Rodney said.

He said that although most Australians felt like they lived in a democracy, being gay in Tasmania was like living in a police state. The penalty for sex between two men was one of the harshest in the western world. Rodney said community attitudes had changed, but there was still work to be done. “While it’s true that Tasmania has gone from worst to the best in a really short period, I don’t want anyone to feel that it’s cause for complacency,” he said. “There is still prejudice in parts of the community and discrimination. I, and the people I work with, remain committed to foster an ever-inclusive community for the LGBTQI+ community.”

Rodney said this meant banning the use of conversion practices. “To be told that our sexual identity or gender identity is broken or could be fixed is the height of cruelty,” he said.

Each event brought its own set of risks. When Rodney attended his first Gay University Students Tasmania Organisation event he was cautioned not to park too close, in case someone wrote down his registration number.

“I was warned not to use a second name, and not to ask people theirs in case they were police informers,” he said.

The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute recently sought public feedback on possible reforms to the state’s sexual orientation and gender identity conversion practices. Rodney said he was positive Tasmania would adopt changes to legislation. “We’ve already set really high standards, and on conversion practices, it will be the same.”

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HISTORY

Words: John Stephenson Pictures: www.beattiesstudio.com We have a rich history in Tasmania. From the 1840s, photographers started documenting Van Diemen’s Land.

In 1879, Scottish immigrant John Watt Beattie said Tasmania was so beautiful it made his soul sing. He ran a controversial museum, kick-started the tourism industry and explored the island extensively, going where no one had photographed before. When he died in 1930, they said his entire collection was destroyed. It’s been largely forgotten ever since.

My family ran a business called Beattie’s Studio. Growing up, I wasn’t really interested in photography. In 2013 our father passed away and my brother asked if I’d put some old photos on the internet for him. They had been stored under our house, but I had no idea what was in those old wooden shoe boxes.

I found an incredible collection. Every photo gives a feeling of amazement, something beautiful, remarkable, or unfamiliar. I’m on a mission to uncover the stories behind these old photos and the more incredible places and people they depict.

The people of Hobart may remember Beattie’s Studio, but there’s more to the story than portraits, weddings and Mr Beattie. The line of succession goes back 170 years and includes photographers such as Thomas Bock, Charles Woolley, Samuel Clifford and the Anson brothers.

In 1891 John Watt Beattie bought the business and changed the name to Beattie’s Studio. He had a long and distinguished career. After he died, my grandfather, Arch Stephenson, bought Beattie’s Studio and it’s been in my family ever since.

Arch was joined by his teenage son, Alberto, who was my father.

Dad told me he studied the lighting and paintings of Rembrandt.

He won many awards for his portrait photography and was quite well known in his day. In 1988 he opened the Beattie’s Studio Photographic Museum. He photographed so many people under the name Beattie’s Studio, that many referred to him as “Mr Beattie”.

Dad brought in my brother William who is really the one who saw the value in the historic collection and he’s the one who has preserved and spent the most time working on it.

The role of Beattie’s Studio has changed many times, but it’s 24

still as relevant today as it was 170 years ago. It’s left a photographic record of life in Tasmania from the mid 1800s. The collection is certainly unique. As well as iconic images, stunning photos and moments in time captured on film, the collection has lots of family photos, corporate groups, sporting clubs, events and parades. We’ve got military, wilderness, vehicles, trains and transport, animals and ships. There is no index or historical information in the collection, that’s been lost if it ever existed.

I was aware of the Beattie Museum, but I confess I didn’t pay it too much attention until 2013. I stuck my hand up for the job of digitising the collection, not really knowing anything about it or how big a job that would be. Eight years later, I’m still going.

I’m putting the history back through the digital collection, web site and documentaries. I’m telling the stories again. My primary story telling is through video documentaries that I produce. I also re-photograph the scenes to show the passage of time. My footage is as cinematic as I can do and also pays homage to the Beattie photos with a similar style – doing what Mr Beattie might have done if he was still alive. He used the new technology of his time. I like to use innovative new cameras like drones, action and 3D cameras. I add music and sound design to further enhance the experience. Beattie narrated his lantern slide lectures, so I’ve narrated my videos. They are free to watch on YouTube.

The Beattie’s Studio Collection is available online at www.BeattiesStudio.com.

The documentary series Forgotten Tasmania is available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/ForgottenTasmania or just search ‘Forgotten Tasmania’.

Construction of the Commonwealth Bank Hobart, Elizabeth Street next to the GPO c1930.

Victoria Dock, Hobart. Note no high rise buildings c1930.

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PSYCHOLOGY

HOW TO NAVIGATE A CAREER CHANGE DURING A PANDEMIC (OR ANY OTHER TIME) Words: Annia Baron

“So, what do you do with yourself?” Ah, the standard nice-tomeet-you-question that highlights how so many of us have our identity wrapped up in what we do for work, where we do it, and who we do it with. But how can we not?

From a young age, pressure to seek and maintain a good job is drilled into our psyche: compete for the best ATAR, go to uni, obtain steady employment, climb the ladder, chase the dollar, and retire after long service leave.

I guess that’s more palpable than: finish school but know it’s OK if you’re not sure what you want to do right away. Dabble in work that brings you joy. Maybe engage in further study, maybe not. If it feels right, pursue a trade, an apprenticeship, or specialisation. Change jobs as frequently as you need. Walk away from toxic workplaces that don’t support your growth.

Develop a healthy attitude to money. Work diligently but refrain from thinking what you do is who you are. Embrace setbacks as opportunities for learning. Be earnest with your work and do it from a place of love and respect. That way you’ll never feel as though you’ve worked a day in your life.

I wish that were the spiel we were serenaded with. Maybe then, we would be free to pursue the work-life balance we deserve, instead of over-emphasising what our job ‘looks like’. Because if you think about it, the archaic, linear career trajectory hasn’t made sense for a long time. We live in a world where technological advancements and a global pandemic mean the employment gears are shifting. For example, research shows that the average person now has between five and seven career or job changes across their working life and that 30 per cent of us are changing work as often as every 12 months.

And why wouldn’t we? Life experience brings opportunity for clarity in our skillset and what we value from our working life.

With age and wisdom, we become more in tune with our interests and abilities, and seek a better fit between who we are, what we have to offer, and how we do that. But that’s not to say it makes job or career change easy. Juggling the realities of money, responsibility and commitments elicit fear of failure and concern about what others may think. It can invite self-doubt and analysis paralysis. So, how can we navigate career change in a way that honours our needs and wants without succumbing to the status quo?

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Easy, get P.A.I.D. P = pump up self-care. Your brain needs the right fuel to make the right decisions. Rest, hydrate, eat more greens, and put the phone down for a while. Get into nature, move your body, and practice deep breathing regularly. These simple but scientifically powerful habits will assist with clarity, planning, and decision making.

A = align with your values. Get clear on what’s most important to you in your working life. Is it autonomy or contribution? Is it location or camaraderie? Do you need structure, status and problem solving or do you flourish with variation, flexibility and risk-taking? Narrow it down to your top three career values.

These can provide the scaffolding in creating tangible goals to reach your career objectives.

I = illuminate psychological blocks to success. Shine a light on rusty, outdated beliefs that are keeping you stuck (e.g. procrastination, self-doubt, self-sabotage etc). Consider connecting with a professional to renew your mindset, create a values-aligned action plan, and elevate your confidence. This would be a safe space too, for upskilling in areas of communication, organisation or emotional regulation – all helpful when navigating change.

D = direct action. Commit daily to your action plan. Whether updating your resume, researching courses or training, making enquiries, booking appointments, networking or working out your finances. Making purposeful, proactive choices will reinstate your sense of control, and build momentum for motivation, perseverance, and resilience. These are important building blocks for turning your dreamed career vision into an actual lived experience.

Remember, a successful career can look like anything you want it to. And it’s never too late to change jobs, careers, or continue pursuing meaningful and satisfying work. So, get P.A.I.D and start creating the life you desire and deserve.

If you’d like more information or are curious about mindset coaching, visit www.remindyourself.com or contact Annia, Clinical Psychologist & Mindset Coach on 0402 448 278

WEATHER

Marion Bay turning it on.

TASSIE IS A PYRAMID AND IT CONTROLS THE WEATHER Words: Zilla Gordon

Picture: Stephanie Williams

Australia’s climate has warmed, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s State of Climate 2020 report. While Tasmania might be known as Australia’s coolest state, experts say weather on our island home is set to change. So just what can we expect, and is it time to swap the Tassie tuxedo for some Banana Boat or an umbrella?

What makes us different?

Dr Tom Remienyi, a climate research fellow at UTAS’ Climate Futures Program said that because of the mountainous “east-west divide”, Tasmania can be thought of like a pyramid in an ocean.

“A wet side versus a dry side was a key characteristic about Tasmania’s climate,” he said. “It’s highly variable in terms of moisture, but [the water] is on one side of the island.”

BoM climatologist Jonathan Pollock affirmed that Tasmania’s climate was strongly influenced by the surrounding sea. Tassie’s latitude of 41.6 degrees south also affects our climate because it leaves us exposed to prevailing westerly winds, the Roaring Forties. “For Tasmania, there has been about 1°C of warming since 1910, with slightly more warming in the south compared to the north,” he said. “And most of that warming has occurred in the latter half of the record. In recent decades, cool-season rainfall (from April to October) has been very low over most of the southern mainland, but in Tasmania the trend has been mixed with a decline in rainfall around the north and east but an increase in rainfall for the west.”

Launnie vs Hobart Launceston is the place to go for heat, with the city’s average maximum temperature a few degrees warmer than Hobart’s, according to Jonathan, but the difference “wasn’t great”.

Launceston also wins when it comes to rainfall. “Comparing 30 years of rainfall from 1981 to 2020 shows that Launceston’s average annual rainfall was about 100mm more than Hobart’s.”

And despite a very wet west coast, Tom said that Hobart was Australia’s second-driest capital city.

What lies ahead?

While Tasmania’s weather currently is highly seasonal with a clear summer-winter transition, the weather will change by the end of the century (2100) following a high emissions scenario.

“Really cold conditions are expected to decrease,” Tom said.

“Some of these conditions will become extinct, and some already have.”

The heating up of Tasmania’s coldest environments, like the Central Highlands, would create ecological risks. “There are some species of plant that need the cold temperature to exclude others,” Tom said. Certain species maintained their dominance because they could survive in the coldest regions, where nothing else could. “Those regions are at risk of being invaded,” Tom said. He also said we can expect to see more extreme temperatures in early spring and a quicker transition from winter to summer. “40 degree-days are likely to become unsurprising to residents in coastal cities and towns across Tassie and high overnight temperatures would be quite regular,” he said.

Tom said this presented social challenges too as it is predicted that Hobart’s fire season will start in early spring. “Normally living in a city, you don’t have to think about bushfire risk.”

Jonathon on Modeling Climate Change Predicting how the weather and climate are likely to change over the next 100 years requires some assumptions about future greenhouse gas emissions. The amount of climate change expected in the next decade is similar under all plausible global emissions scenarios. The average temperature of the next 20 years is virtually certain to be warmer than the average of the last 20 years. However, by the middle of the 21st century, higher ongoing emissions of greenhouse gases will lead to greater warming and associated impacts, while reducing emissions will lead to less warming and fewer impacts.

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TRAVEL

MARIA ISLAND IN UNDER SEVEN HOURS Words and images: Zilla Gordon

My hiking boots lay forgotten on the sand. Next to them, my jacket and hat are hung off a piece of driftwood. Leggings pulled up over my knees, I’m standing calf-deep in the crisp clear water.

With 18km of walking behind me, an afternoon on Maria Island’s Darlington Bay is a tranquil way to spend a couple of hours before I board the ferry and head back to Hobart. Maria Island, a former penal colony, sits just off the east coast of Tasmania and, while only small in size, its rich history and rugged landscape make it a desirable day trip.

It’s 5am. My Saturday morning sleep-in is taking a backseat as I take the front seat for the early-but-easy 75-minute drive to Triabunna. Making it to the ferry terminal with plenty of time for my 8.30am departure, I check-in, and get a map of the island and recommendations of some walks that will have me back in time for the 4.15pm return boat.

The ferry ride is a smooth 45 minutes, and I’m eagerly looking out the window looking for signs of rain. Even though it’s summer, the forecast is a meagre 19 degrees with a high chance of rain. So my trusty puffer jacket, gloves and a scarf are also in my backpack.

Three easy walks Disembarking, I’m struck by the postcard-blue of the water, but I’m focused on heading straight to the Painted Cliffs. While short in stature, these cliffs make up for it with their striking honeycomb patterns created when water dripped through and stained the stone some 200 million years ago. It’s best explored during low tide, but it only takes a 40-minute power walk to reach the Cliffs at Hopground Beach. I make it just in time for a quick clamber around the shell-like rocks. While I could spend more time here, the incoming tide is fast encroaching on my path back.

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After beating the tide to the Painted Cliffs it’s then onto the Fossil Cliffs walk. Heading to the other side of the island via Darlington Township (where you’ll find overnight accommodation, bike hire and bathrooms), the walk is an easy stroll past crumbling remains of colonial cottages before the path makes way for an expanse of yellow-gray grass. My breath labours as I head uphill, but I’m quickly at the edge of the towering cliffs.

From the right, the view takes in Bishop and Clark and Mount Maria - two popular hikes, but both requiring more than the six or so hours I had to explore.

The fossil walk continues around to the left and leads down to a rock shelf. The shelf is home to hundreds of fossils and I spot clams, scallop shells and coral trapped in the rock. More than 300 million years old, the walk has some of the best displays of fossils anywhere in the world.

Stopping for a few photos, I head back to Darlington via the airstrip and the seaside cemetery, which is home to graves more than a century old. Although first established as a penal colony, Maria Island later housed cement works. That’s how Tomas and his wife Rose came to rest there. Tomas died in an accident while working at the cement works in 1890. Fifty-two years later, Rose was laid to rest next to her husband, becoming the last person to be buried on the island.

I break for lunch back in Darlington and head out on my final walk of the day - the Reservoir Circuit. I’m struck by the change in flora. Although just inland, the path weaves its way through eucalyptus trees and the narrower track consists of grey-black sand. It seems beachy. The gentle path leads to clearing by the reservoir, and while it doesn’t offer views spectacular as those on the coast, the chorus of croaking frogs make it a nice place to stop for a break.

Take Your Time I’ve done a bit of hiking in Tasmania. Normally it’s a push to the peak. It’s sometimes only when you reach the top that you stop to breathe in the view. Maria Island is different. You explore, wander rather than looking at your feet to take your next step. There’s no rush. The paths are wide and well-kept allowing you to spot pademelons or wombats grazing near campsites.

Having made it through the three walks in around four hours, I’m again reminded that it’s not a race to the summit. Instead of the predicted grey weather, the sun is shining so I brave a quick dip in the cold water. At first I was worried that a day wouldn’t be enough. Like all things in Tasmania, of course there is plenty more to see and do, but Maria Island has made the perfect day trip.

Maria Island is a National Park, so you’ll need a Parks Pass (you can buy them at: www.passes.parks.tas.gov.au/). Ferry tickets (book them at www.encountermaria.com.au/) are $45 for adults, but only include 7kg of hand luggage so keep that in mind if you’re camping. There are no shops, cafes or supplies on the island so you’ll need to bring everything with you including food, a refillable water bottle, good walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing and any first aid supplies - however limited drinking water is available; if you’ve forgotten anything, there is an IGA at Triabunna near the ferry terminal. Basic bunkhouse accommodation can be booked at $44 per night for up to two people, and there are free campsites around the island - book before you leave via www.parks.tas.gov.au. If walking’s not your thing you can hire a bike for $33 a day. Maria Island is also home to furry and feathered friends - although you’re bound to see a wombat or two, make sure you snap a photo from no less than two metres away!

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HISTORY

MATTHEW BRADY: THE GENTLEMAN THIEF Words: Bonnie Mary Liston Image: Tasmanian Archives Before Ned Kelly cut a blazing trail through Australia’s collective imaginations, Tasmania had its own dashing bushranger who captured the hearts, and inevitably, material possessions of its populace.

Matthew Brady, often called ‘Gentleman Brady’ was notorious throughout Van Diemen’s Land for his pluck and daring, as well as his fine manners and strong moral code.

Brady was a groomsman in Manchester, England, with a great talent for handling horses before he was sentenced to seven years’ transportation for the crime of stealing a basket of food from his employers - some butter, sugar, rice and a flitch of bacon, which he had shared out amongst several young ladies of his acquaintance.

As a convict Brady was rebellious and attempted escape often.

He received over 350 lashes for various offences and eventually found himself sent to Sarah Island, an incredibly harsh and isolated prison settlement located off the Western Coast of Tasmania. Sarah Island was a place for repeat offenders and escapees but instead of breaking Brady’s spirit it was here that he finally successfully escaped in 1824, leading 13 other convicts in stealing a whaling boat and sailing to freedom down the Derwent River.

He then commenced his bushranging career as Gentleman Brady.

Though he and his gang robbed various homesteads and villages around Tasmania, he became quite popular amongst the common people. It was said he never used violence except in self defence and he always acted in a polite and courtly manner towards his victims. He was especially chivalrous towards women, claiming to have never robbed any woman and refusing to let any of his gang insult, endanger or otherwise disrespect a woman.

Apparently when one of his men threatened a settler’s wife with sexual violence, Brady shot him in the hand, then had him flogged and expelled from his gang. The women of Tasmania went wild for his far flung futurist ideals of ‘basic human decency.’

One of his most daring feats was the capture of Sorell. Brady and his gang took over the township, overpowering and imprisoning its garrison and releasing all the convicts, whom they then led in raucous celebration. As a response to this, as well as Brady’s mounting power and popularity, Governor George Arthur placed a huge price on Brady’s head. In response, Brady cheekily placed 30

his own reward out for the capture of Governor Arthur - including in the bounty, “20 gallons of rum.”

Eventually the reward for Brady became so high that he was betrayed by inside members of his gang. After several traps that he managed to escape and one disastrous attempt to flee to the mainland, Brady was injured, captured and sentenced to death.

He pled guilty to the crimes he had committed and faced his death with equanimity. There were loud outcries of protest from the people, and multiple petitions delivered to the government pleading for clemency, all unsuccessful. He received constant visitors, many ladies but also soldiers he had fought against coming to pay their respects. His cell was swamped with gifts, flowers, love letters, freshly made cakes and fine wines.

His only complaint was that he was to be hung alongside Thomas Jeffries, who in addition to being a mass murdering cannibal, was also a police informant and therefore a snitch.

Brady was hanged on May 4w, 1826 at the age of 27. The Sydney Morning Herald reported his death, saying: There was a hush, broken only by stifled sobs, as the bushranger knelt to receive the last consolations of his faith. Then, standing erect, he bade adieu to the multitude and died more like a martyr than a convicted felon.

Brady’s Lookout, a popular picnic destination in the Tamar Valley, is named for him and was one of his many hideouts. You can sit there, look over the river and imagine what it must have been like to be a bushranger and man on the run.

Hinsby Beach was turned upside down for the Mona Foma treasure dig. Photo: James Marten

Cubed Espresso, Eaglehawk Neck @snapshottours

Just waiting for Wombat Wednesday @travelling_to_tasmania

A wascally wittle wabbit @kelvin196517

Duck, duck, goose! @kelvin196517 Sorbet skies at Sunset @snapshottours

A nice way to spend a Sunday @thebolthole_piratesbay

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